Balance of power, domestic violence and health consequences: Evidence from demographic and health survey of Nepal

Balance of power, domestic violence and health consequences: Evidence from demographic and health survey of Nepal

A large literature studying Domestic Violence (DV) has documented a complex relationship between intimate partner violence, domestic risk factors, women empowerment and health outcomes. In this paper we attempt to disentangle this complex relationship using data drawn from Nepal Demographic and Health Survey, 2011. Empirically, a two-equation system is estimated, where the first equation models the relationship between domestic violence and health outcomes (physical injuries) whereas the second equation models the relationship of domestic violence to domestic risk factors and women’s empowerment. The study finds evidence that both education and cooperative environments lessen the likelihood of violence. Additionally, a number of household and cultural factors influence DV including alcoholic husband, multiple unions and religion. Finally, in terms of health outcomes we find that the likelihood of facing all the negative health outcomes increases exponentially with higher intensities of violence.